Macro ID

[rbryn]

About 2 months ago this macro appeared in my display tank. I let it grow and it's now taking over. I keep a separate Refugium that houses Chaeto and it's out competing chaeto for all the nutrients - the chaeto has just about died back to nothing.

This macro likes high flow areas and adheres to hard substrates (shells, glass, rocks). When it dries out it becomes day glow orange.

 

[BlueCat1949]

This is a tough one. Is it stiff or soft? Does it feel smooth to the touch? Is each of the plants only fastened by a single holdfast?

 

[jraker]

I have the same exact stuff in my tank. I don't know what it is either. It is not rigid, yet it isn't soft. The leaves are really thin. The plants are fastened by several holds.

 

[jraker]

might it be dragons breath?

 

[rbryn]

This is a tough one. Is it stiff or soft? Does it feel smooth to the touch? Is each of the plants only fastened by a single holdfast?

It's soft and pliable, it's texture when you pull some out is similar to parlsey.

Additionally... the thicker it grows it takes on a bluish tint as it thickens in density. a single "leaf" is red and translucent..

It's fastened to anything not moving and attaches with multiple holdfasts.

 

[rbryn]

might it be dragons breath?

I don't think so.. dragons breath appears to have a much larger "leaf" with sharp angled tips.

 

[rbryn]

Lets see if this helps any better. This is an example that I pulled from the tank. It's the typical size and color. Careful to note that this is a short bunch that I artificially elogated to show the leaves better.

in the tank this was about a 1/2 inch wide and 1/2 inch tall and packed together densly.

 

[BlueCat1949]

It might be a Cryptonemia crenulata but that is just an educated guess.

 

[rbryn]

It might be a Cryptonemia crenulata but that is just an educated guess.

Do you know of any pictures online that I can compare it too? I've hit google and can find just about every other species on Cryptonemia but I can't find a good pick of Cryptonemia crenulata anywhere.... looking at some of the other species in that genus, I'de have to suspect you are correct.

Now I just have to find something that likes to munch on Cryptonemia

 

[cloak]

Just a couple guesses.

http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=2105

http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=3744

 

[rbryn]

Just a couple guesses.

http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsespecies.php?CritterID=3744

I think we're getting closer - it's either a variant of Fauchea laciniata or some really close relative. It shows an iridescence blue when it's longer (but not as blue as the photos I've seen of Fauchea laciniata) and goes iridescent orange when dead (which most Fauchea do apparently)...

but when I look at the leaf structure of Rhodymenia holmesii it's almost exactly the same... but there is no mention anywhere of its iridescent properties (alive or dead).

soo we're close... real close.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Is it this?

http://www.lareefs.com/index.php?ma...id=999&zenid=364c000c1fca9a57b51bdebec0ccb8a6

 

[BlueCat1949]

Is it this?

http://www.lareefs.com/index.php?ma...id=999&zenid=364c000c1fca9a57b51bdebec0ccb8a6

So it is called :Lucky metallic color shifting macroalgae? I wonder who thought up that common name.:clown:

 

[BlueCat1949]

Do you know of any pictures online that I can compare it too? I've hit google and can find just about every other species on Cryptonemia but I can't find a good pick of Cryptonemia crenulata anywhere.... looking at some of the other species in that genus, I'de have to suspect you are correct.

Now I just have to find something that likes to munch on Cryptonemia

I saw it on the Aquatic Ecosystems page.

 

[rbryn]

Is it this?

http://www.lareefs.com/index.php?ma...id=999&zenid=364c000c1fca9a57b51bdebec0ccb8a6

That's cool.. but not it. the blue tint doesn't shift with the light.

Here is a video of it up close (And you can see how rapidly it has spread in the tank in the past few months).
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/1tje3zgu9rco7uv/AABfMbDKPteYv18EzbqgiRkya

If you look at the rocks in the background and the back of the tank you will see two things.
1. the blue tint that it gets as it grows thicker
2. the radial pattern it attaches to the back glass with.

One thing I'm definitely going to try is to raise the temp of the tank. I usually keep it about 73F - I'm going to raise it to 78F to see if it slows down.

 

[Transam]

I have the same stuff in my tank. I have to prune it back about every week. It is a fast growing and spreading macro. I would love to find something that eats it.

 

[rbryn]

I was finally able to get it under control (but not eradicate it).

I raised the tank temp from 74 degrees to 78 degrees and it's stopped proliferating as quickly.

I also added a Kole tang that picks at it but doesn't really eat it... he kind of gets it off the rocks for me and then I have to go in and scoop out the pieces once a week. He's just helping me prune it

I also actively trim any that have loosened up their holdfasts on the rockwork.